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Afghanistan
NATO massing forces on Pak Border
2008-07-16
HT to Gateway Pundit! I'm doing the "believe it when I see it" thing
  • Villagers and officials say hundreds of coalition troops, tanks and APCs airlifted to border area
  • ISPR spokesman says media creating 'unnecessary hype' about troop movement
  • Pakistan Army deployed along border placed on high alert
  • Taliban spokesman says proximity makes it easier to kill more US soldiers
    heh...up close and personal death to Taliwhackers
    By Haji Mujtaba
    MIRANSHAH: A build up of Western coalition forces on the Afghan border spread alarm among villagers in North Waziristan on Tuesday, as residents and officials said that the Pakistan Army was gearing up for "any eventuality".
    "prepare to flee"
    If "any eventuality" includes war with the U.S. then it's time for the Paks to take a deep breath and count to 10. They've never won a war. We've won several. But I suspect this is more a case of whipping up the rubes and viewing with alarm than an actual push into North Wazoo.
    Villagers and officials, requesting anonymity, said that hundreds of coalition troops had been airlifted to a border area near the Lawara village. "The coalition troops have started to strengthen their positions after setting up camp in the border areas adjacent to the Pak-Afghan border and US helicopters have been spotted hovering over target areas as support," officials said.
    and psyops
    Reports from Afghanistan have said that helicopters have been transporting tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to Sarobagh and other landing strips in the Khost province, which neighbours the Tribal Areas. A villager said he could clearly see the troops.
    "Yeah! I seen 'em! They wuz big 'uns, too!"
    "They were brought by helicopters. They are at the zero point," Akmal Khan, a resident of Lawara, told Reuters, referring to the disputed international boundary. The deployment is near Camp Tillman, a forward operating base for US forces.
    Camp Tillman, huh?
    Unnecessary: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Athar Abbas played down concerns by saying it was probably a routine movement and the media had created "unnecessary hype".
    Sure. We often move large amounts of men and materiel to remote Afghan villages.
    According to APP, he told Dawn News that the movements were restricted to within Afghan territory and were in preparation for an exercise or operation there. "We closely monitor all such moves so nothing occurs too close to the border. Certainly, we have co-ordination and communication with each other," he added.
    "We're on top of it, really! Why, right now I'm headed off to my office in Lahore to coordinate the coverage!"
    High alert: However, officials told Daily Times that the Pakistan Army deployed along the Pak-Afghan border has been placed on high alert in case of any infiltration.
    "getcher curly-toed track shoes on, boyz"
    A spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan said there was no question of entering Pakistan. "Our mandate stops at the border," spokesman Captain Mike Finney said. There was some "extra activity" on the border with troops searching for surviving insurgents after Sunday's attack that killed nine US troops, he told AFP.

    Welcome: Meanwhile, Bajaur Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar welcomed the build up on the border as a chance to kill more Americans. "It's a gift that they're coming here on our land and making it easy for us to kill our enemies, the enemies of Muslims," he told Reuters.
    Of course, Maulvi won't be anywhere near the killing, and would report thousands of Americans dead regardless, but I think the Talibs will get their chances at doe-eyed sheep virgins
    In a separate statement to The Associated Press, he criticised a statement by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani that had acknowledged the presence of foreign fighters in the Tribal Areas. "We will consider Prime Minister Gilani our enemy if the NATO or Pakistani security forces attack us after his baseless claim," he said.

    The new government has promised to do whatever it can to secure the border with Afghanistan.
    Short of hunting down Baitullah Mehsud and killing him or tossing Maulvi Omar into the clink for 180 years.
    However, a series of incidents along the border, including drone aircraft missile attacks, have fueled fears that the US military may be moving to a more offensive strategy in Pakistani territory.
  • Posted by:Frank G

    #17  ever hear of tinyurl?

    mods.. the above comment is blowing up all the formatting on this page
    Posted by: Abu do you love   2008-07-16 22:06  

    #16  Joe (Comment #1) is on to a good read:

    http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1030061/Armageddon-Britain-A-detailed-insight-terrorist-attack-Britain-happen-day-warning.html?ITO=1490
    Posted by: Uncle Phester   2008-07-16 17:14  

    #15  I smell a big can of whoop ass!
    Posted by: Legolas   2008-07-16 16:53  

    #14  Sounds like setting up for a merry round of fis-in-a-barrel. We be the fish. The True Believers come to destroy us and find themselves fighting barracudas. I hope it's something like this.
    Posted by: Richard of Oregon   2008-07-16 13:55  

    #13  Scratch the bakery detail, the smeel of fresh bread would be too much of a tipoff.
    Posted by: charger   2008-07-16 12:38  

    #12  ...or the 356th Mechanized Royal Dutch Chocolatiers.
    Posted by: Rex Mundi   2008-07-16 11:53  

    #11  Don't forget the fighting 515th Heavy Belgian Barbers ...
    Posted by: Steve White   2008-07-16 10:45  

    #10  This would be what?

    The 49th Italian Transportation Company, the 1031st French Airborne Bakery Detail, the 2nd German Military Police Platoon, The 9th British Mobile Aid Station, and the US 10th Mountian division?
    Posted by: Kelly   2008-07-16 10:36  

    #9  Or is this a possible feint to cover a more stealthy operation somewhere else?
    Posted by: charger   2008-07-16 10:19  

    #8  NATO may be putting out a press release to let the Taliban know for several reasons.

    First, to try and get a flood of fighters to concentrate on the other side of the border. That is why they are emphasizing "hundreds" of NATO, figuring that the bad guyz will be able to muster "thousands" so will think they can overwhelm NATO.

    From that point, they either flood across the border into the arms of NATO, or are within range of a cross border air or indirect fire attack. Either way, a bunch of them get whacked.
    Posted by: Anonymoose   2008-07-16 10:06  

    #7  "hundreds" = "massing"?
    Posted by: Spot   2008-07-16 07:57  

    #6  ;)
    Posted by: Red Dawg   2008-07-16 03:47  

    #5  Sea for Sec. of State! You're a creative thinker with a machiavellian streak. Can't imagine better qualifications. ;-)
    Posted by: Spike Uniter   2008-07-16 03:15  

    #4  Everybody loves a parade, Dawg.

    I know I do.
    Posted by: Seafarious   2008-07-16 02:55  

    #3  Ya know what would be fun? If India decided to hold some "exercises" somewhere in the North. Maybe a couple reviews of troops, a tank drill or two, maybe some drone displays. Lots of bunting, brass bands and a smattering of sashes-n-sprockets.

    heh heh.. you are on to something there Sea... the Paki Military brass would melt down..
    Posted by: Red Dawg   2008-07-16 02:49  

    #2  Ya know what would be fun? If India decided to hold some "exercises" somewhere in the North. Maybe a couple reviews of troops, a tank drill or two, maybe some drone displays. Lots of bunting, brass bands and a smattering of sashes-n-sprockets.
    Posted by: Seafarious   2008-07-16 02:22  

    #1  WORLDNEWS > AL QAEDA HAS FOUND THREE SAFE HAVENS FOR TERROR TRAINING. Pakistan, Algeria, + Somalia.
    ALGERIA = AQ IN THE ISLAMIC MAGHREB is now in the forefront of AQ operations, although an estimated 2000 AQ Militants remain in thier core base inside Pakistan.
    Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-07-16 01:35  

    00:00